AMLWCH ROSE - Northumberland & Northeast

The Amlwch Rose isn't just another lump of metal on the seabed, it’s a proper dive for wreck enthusiasts. She lies upright, and while the stern is pretty broken up, the bow section is still remarkably intact. That's our favourite part, feeling the shape of her, imagining her journey before she went down. We usually drop onto the midships, then head towards the bow first. You’ll see the anchor chains snaking out, and the forecastle offers some great swim-throughs if you're comfortable with overhead environments. Keep an eye out for conger eels poking their heads from pipes and plates; they're everywhere here, big ones too. The visibility can be a bit hit or miss, typical North Sea stuff, but when it’s good, the light penetrating the internal spaces of the bow is something else. It really brings the wreck to life. This is a dive for experienced cold-water wreck divers, comfortable with depths down to 42 metres and potentially strong currents. Bring a good torch, you'll want to peer into every nook and cranny.

Location
Northumberland & Northeast, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
53.525440, -3.825550
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
42m

Wreck History - AMLWCH ROSE

Year Sunk
1940
Vessel Type
steamship
Cause
mine
Tonnage
545 GRT

Built in the Netherlands in 1931, the SS AMLWCH ROSE was a British steam coaster that spent its career ferrying goods around the coasts of the United Kingdom. Like so many other merchant vessels, it was pressed into dangerous service during the Second World War, maintaining vital supply lines under constant threat from enemy action. Its service came to a sudden and violent end on October 27, 1940, while transporting a cargo of coal. The ship struck a mine laid by a German E-boat and sank quickly, becoming another casualty of the war at sea.

Today, the AMLWCH ROSE rests in 42 meters of water off the Northumberland coast, placing it firmly in the realm of technical diving. The wreck is a somber and fascinating window into history, largely intact and sitting upright on the seabed. Divers who make the descent are rewarded with a well-preserved steamship, its cargo holds, winches, and superstructure still clearly identifiable. The cold, nutrient-rich waters of the North Sea support a dense covering of marine life, with plumose anemones, dead man's fingers, and large cod making the wreck their home.

Marine Protected Area: Great Orme

Nearby Dive Sites in Northumberland & Northeast

Nearest Dive Centres to AMLWCH ROSE

Marine Life in Northumberland & Northeast

Home to 132 recorded species including 53 reef fish, 15 whales & dolphins, 11 sharks & rays, 10 other, 10 seagrass & algae, 9 crabs & lobsters.

Notable Species